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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Make findings that the provision of Disability Benefits Advocacy services by Maximus US Services, Inc. (Maximus) to County clients in the Home Safe (HS), California Work Opportunities and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Program and Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP) are in the public's best interest and that there are specialty skills, qualifications, and equipment not expressly identified in County classifications involved in the performance of the work in accordance with El Dorado County Ordinance Code, Chapter 3.13.030(B);
2) Make findings in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17 Section 3.4(2f), with Purchasing Agent concurrence, that the services are exempt from competitive bidding because “the procurement is for services where the continuity of providers will provide efficiency or critical knowledge, and other providers of the services cannot provide similar efficiencies or critical knowledge”;
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement for Services 10254 with Maximus in the amount of $285,000, and for the term of three years from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029;
4) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreement 10254, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreement; and
5) Authorize the HHSA Director, or the Chief Assistant Director, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreement 10254.
FUNDING: 26% California Department of Social Services (CDSS) HS Program Funding, 42% CDSS HDAP Funding, and 32% Temporary Assistance for Needy Families.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
HHSA’s Social Services Division administers the Self Sufficiency CalWORKs program, the Community Services HDAP and the Adult Protective Services (APS) HS Program. CalWORKs includes two programs, Welfare-to-Work and Housing Support, both designed to provide clients with ongoing support from county case workers to achieve their goals to achieve self-sufficiency. The ability to access income through the determination of eligibility for disability benefits is increased through the advocacy and support provided by Maximus through the proposed agreement.
HDAP was established in 2016 to assist people experiencing homelessness, who are likely eligible for disability benefits, by providing advocacy for those benefits as well as housing supports. Since 2021, HHSA has received annual non-competitive HDAP funding allocations by the CDSS, to establish, continue, or expand housing and homelessness assistance.
The HS Program, also administered by CDSS, provides non-competitive funding to county/tribal APS jurisdictions to provide safety, housing stability, and homelessness prevention services to clients served by APS. Counties participating in the HS Program serve APS clients through a range of strategies to prevent homelessness and increase housing stability for APS clients, including but not limited to: housing-related case management, short-term housing related financial assistance, eviction prevention, landlord mediation, mental health services, and housing navigation services. In accordance with the California Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Section 15771(c)(2), APS programs participating in the HS Program must assess each APS client’s housing needs to create an individualized case plan for meeting those needs, with the plan to be developed in coordination with a multidisciplinary team that may include housing program providers, mental health providers, local law enforcement, legal assistance providers, and others as deemed relevant by the APS agency.
The proposed Agreement 10254 with Maximus is a renewal of Agreement 8629, approved by the Board on June 25, 2024, which ends on June 31, 2026 (Legistar file 24-0631). HHSA recommends the Board approve this renewal Agreement with Maximus to ensure continuation of services related to disability benefit application assistance for clients in the CalWORKs, HS, and HDAP programs.
Under the County Board Procurement Policy C-17 Section 3.4, HHSA recommends, with the concurrence of the Purchasing Agent, that competitive bidding requirements be waived under exemption reason 2(f): “the procurement is for goods where the continuity of providers will provide efficiency or critical knowledge, and other providers of the goods cannot provide similar efficiencies or critical knowledge.”
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, HHSA would not be able to provide CalWORKs, HDAP, and HS Program services to clients.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
06/25/24, 24-0631, HHSA Agreement 8629, Maximus US Services, Inc.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Approved by County Counsel, Human Resources, Information Technologies, and Risk Management. The Auditor Controller was notified of this Agreement in accordance with Policy B-12.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this agenda item. Sufficient appropriations were included in the Fiscal Year 2026-27 Budget, and will be included in future budgets for the term of the Agreement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS:
Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one original Agreement for Services 10254.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT:
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency